Concerns about proposed band uniforms

December 12, 2013

LISBON - Lisbon's school colors are blue and white, but a proposed change in the high school band uniforms has Principal Joe Siefke concerned.

Siefke told the board Tuesday the band boosters are in the process of raising funds to purchase new uniforms and have chosen a pattern where black is the primary color.

"I fight this fight all the time" when a booster club or athletic team wants to purchase new uniforms that might deviate somewhat from the school's colors, he said.

It was noted the football team has black in its uniform, but it is as an accent and not a primary color, as is the case with the proposed new band uniforms. "We are the Blue Devils," Siefke emphasized.

Superintendent Don Thompson weighed in on the debate, telling the board, "This is a total change in tradition if you allow this."

The jacket is primarily black with blue and white accents, with black pants and a blue hat. Board members and other officials in attendance agreed the different look was attractive, and some suggested flipping the black for the blue and using the black as an accent.

Siefke said the boosters have other uniform options to choose from and perhaps they can find one that better emphasizes the school colors.

In other business, Thompson reported what was already known: The county was not among the 24 applicants chosen to share in some of the $250 million in state money set aside for grants to fund innovative education initiatives that save money.

Lisbon joined with several other school districts in Columbiana County to file a single application in the hopes of increasing the chances of receiving funded. The closest district to receive funding was Carrollton.

The board also:

- Renewed the contract with Viking Water Technologies of Youngstown to continue providing water treatment services at the elementary and junior/senior high schools for $1,066 per building.

"No, this is not an indictment of Lisbon water," joked Thompson.

- Approved Mandi Flory as a volunteer junior high school girls basketball coach and Lauren Glenn as a home instruction tutor for $18 an hour.

- Renewed the contract with S.A. Comunale Co. of Warren to inspect the sprinkler systems at both school buildings for $2,008.

- Contracted with the Mahoning Educational Service Center for $2,870 to provide services to students who qualify under the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation VRP3 project.

- Approved the high school art and science clubs traveling to Washington, D.C., for a April 25-26 field trip.

- Approved Cinderella as the spring musical, which will be held March 7-9.

- Agreed to pay teachers $15 an hour for attending mandatory professional development programs that exceed the regular school day. The teachers agreed several years ago to begin working an extra 30 minutes per day, with the time used for professional development, but Thompson said they have found that is not enough.